Household refrigeration appliance with a food receptacle tray mounted with a rollerless fixed bearing

ABSTRACT

A household refrigeration appliance includes an inner container delimiting a receiving space for receiving food, a food receptacle tray that is separate from the receiving space and a guiding apparatus for guiding a movement of the food receptacle tray. The guiding apparatus has a guide rail disposed on an inner side of the inner container. At least one guide element of the guiding apparatus is disposed in a fixed position on the food receptacle tray. The guide rail is disposed so as to interlock with the guide element to form a rollerless fixed bearing, so that the food receptacle tray is guided without rollers by using the guiding apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2020 210 279.1, filed Aug. 13, 2020; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

An aspect of the invention relates to a household refrigeration appliance with an inner container. The inner container delimits a receiving space for receiving food. Furthermore, the household refrigeration appliance has a food receptacle tray that is separate from the receiving space. In addition, the household refrigeration appliance has a guiding apparatus with which a movement of the food receptacle tray can be guided. The guiding apparatus has a guide rail that is disposed in a fixed position on an inner side of the inner container.

It is typical for such food receptacle trays to be disposed in the interior of household refrigeration appliances. They can be pushed in and pulled out in the depth direction of the household refrigeration appliance. A very wide range and variety of bearings and guiding apparatuses are known for that purpose.

It is typical in this context that rollers are disposed on the tray so that a roller guide is provided relative thereto. However, such rollers may also be disposed in the guide rail of the inner container.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a household refrigeration appliance with a food receptacle tray mounted with a rollerless fixed bearing, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known appliances of this general type and in which the guidance of the movement of such a food receptacle tray is improved.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a household refrigeration appliance with an inner container. This inner container delimits, with walls, a receiving space of the household refrigeration appliance embodied for receiving food. The household refrigeration appliance has a food receptacle tray that is separate from the receiving space. Furthermore, the household refrigeration appliance has a guiding apparatus with which the movement of the food receptacle tray can be guided. The guiding apparatus has a guide rail. The guide rail is disposed in a fixed position on an inner side of the inner container. Furthermore, the guiding apparatus has at least one guide element, separate from the guide rail, disposed in a fixed position on the food receptacle tray. The guide rail is disposed so as to interlock with this guide element so that a rollerless fixed bearing is formed thereby. As a result, the food receptacle tray can be guided without rollers by using the guiding apparatus. Such an embodiment allows a guiding apparatus to be created that is mechanically simple, on one hand, yet advantageous and user-friendly with respect to guidance. Such an embodiment without rollers, which means in particular that the guiding apparatus has no rollers on either the tray side or the inner container side, allows the aforementioned disadvantages to be eliminated. In particular, such a guiding apparatus with a rollerless fixed bearing makes it possible in this regard to avoid the occurrence of undesirable lateral movements or skewed movements in the width direction of the household refrigeration appliance when pulling out or pushing in the food receptacle tray. The highly linear guidance of the movement of the tray in the depth direction is enabled thereby.

In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the guide element is produced in a single piece with the food receptacle tray. This allows the number of components to be reduced. In particular, installation tolerances and movement tolerances can also be avoided as a result. Preferably, this also results in the position between the guide element and the food receptacle tray also remaining permanently constant. This is advantageous for the mechanical coupling with the guide rail and the mounting of the tray on the guiding apparatus with minimal play in this regard, so that sideways movements in this case during pulling out or pushing in can be at least significantly reduced.

This at least one guide element on the food receptacle tray is disposed thereon in a rigid position. This means that in this regard the embodiment allows no relative movement of the guide element in relation to the tray. Such an immovable configuration of the guide element on the tray promotes the aforementioned advantages.

This is made possible in particular by the embodiment and production in a single piece referred to above.

In one exemplary embodiment, the guide element is embodied on an outer side of a side wall of the food receptacle tray and on an outer side of the base wall of the food receptacle tray. This guide element is thus embodied so as to be exposed in at least two spatial directions over the extent of those walls of the food receptacle tray that delimit the receiving volume area of this food receptacle tray. Such a lateral and downward protrusion of the guide element permits, on one hand, simple and reliable coupling with the guide groove as well as, on the other hand, further placement of the food receptacle tray with the guide element from above onto a further support disposed on the inner container. A particularly advantageous mounting and guidance concept is made possible as a result. Such an embodiment is also particularly advantageous compared with concepts that have merely a downward protrusion, and no lateral protrusion, of the guiding apparatus in the width direction. As already mentioned, coupling and guiding are made simpler and more precise by the use of the aforementioned advantageous exemplary embodiment.

In one exemplary embodiment, the at least one guide element is embodied on just one side of the food receptacle tray. This refers in particular to viewing in the width direction. For example, the at least one guide element is disposed on the right side when viewing the household refrigeration appliance from the front. No such guide element is then provided in this regard on the left side. In the case of such an embodiment, the food receptacle tray is to be used in such a way that, when viewed from the front, it can be coupled to a guiding apparatus disposed on the right side on a vertical side wall of the inner container, or the associated guide rail. A coupling on the left side is not then provided.

In one advantageous exemplary embodiment, in each case at least one guide element is provided on a side of the food receptacle tray that is opposite in each case when viewed in the width direction. In particular, a symmetrical embodiment is formed in this regard. As a result, such a food receptacle tray can be coupled for guiding purposes both to a guide rail of a guiding apparatus disposed on the right side, when viewed from the front, and to a vertical side wall of the inner container. In an alternative embodiment, the same food receptacle tray can also be coupled to a guide rail disposed on the left side on the inner container and its movement can be guided.

As a result, the same food receptacle tray can also be used, and accordingly guided in an improved manner, if, in this regard, the stop is swapped by merely exchanging the guide rail, in particular a separate asymmetry component of the guide rail, of the guiding apparatus. In this context a guide rail, in particular the asymmetry component as a swappable component, of a guiding apparatus may be disposed preferably on a right-side vertical side wall of the inner container or on a left-side vertical side wall of the inner container.

The guide rail preferably has a base part disposed on the side wall of the inner container. This base part may be embodied in a single piece with the side wall. However, in an alternative embodiment the base part may also be embodied as a separate component and fastened to the inner container, in particular to this vertical side wall. It may be provided that the guide rail has an asymmetry component, in particular in addition to such a base part. With this asymmetry component, viewed in the width direction of the food receptacle tray, an asymmetrical geometry is provided for mounting the food receptacle tray. This asymmetry component, which is formed in particular in the manner of a rail, is consequently disposed on just one side relative to the food receptacle tray when viewed in the width direction. In particular, this asymmetry component is disposed in a fixed position on the inner container. This means that, if the food receptacle tray moves in the depth direction, this asymmetry component does not move together with the tray.

It may be provided that this asymmetry component is a component that is separate from the base part. The asymmetry component may be fastened in a fixed position to the base part.

In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the guide element has a guide web protruding upward. In one advantageous exemplary embodiment, the guide rail has a guide groove that is open at the bottom. In particular, in the coupled state this guide web engages into the same guide groove from below. Viewed in the width direction, the guide groove is delimited in each case by a boundary wall. In this regard, the guide groove is delimited on both sides in cross-section. As a result, particularly advantageously an undesirable movement of this food receptacle tray in the width direction, if it is moved in the depth direction, can be avoided. As a result, a very simple and highly effective coupling and guidance principle can be achieved by this embodiment.

In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the guide groove has a width, when measured in the width direction of the household refrigeration appliance, between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm greater than the width of the guide web when measured in this width direction. This is a further advantageous embodiment with respect to the reduction or avoidance of lateral movements of the tray when it is moved in the depth direction.

In particular, it is provided that the guide web and guide groove, when viewed in the width direction of the household refrigeration appliance, are disposed laterally adjacent a side wall of the food receptacle tray. In particular, it is provided that the guide web and guide groove, when viewed in the height direction of the household refrigeration appliance, are disposed so as to overlap with this side wall of the food receptacle tray. This specific positioning of the guide web and guide groove also makes it possible that the tray does not have to be reduced as such with regard to its receiving volume. In addition, very simple coupling is made possible by this exposed position of the guide web and guide groove. On the other hand, it also makes particularly precise guidance possible. The advantageous point mentioned above with regard to at least reducing the lateral movement in the width direction is promoted in particular as a result.

In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that two separate guide elements are provided with one guide web each. These separate guide webs engage into the same guide groove. As a result, the mounting and guidance concept is further improved and stabilized. Specifically, the avoidance of undesirable lateral movements when pulling out or pushing in the food receptacle tray out of or into the receiving space may be improved as a result.

In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that these guide webs are disposed in a rear half of the length of the food receptacle tray when measured in the depth direction. As a result, a corresponding guidance concept can also be achieved even if the food receptacle tray is pulled relatively far out of the receiving space.

In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a guide element has a sliding element. In particular, this sliding element is embodied with a curved sliding surface. As a result, a contact surface is intended to be created that is similar to that realized with a rotating roller. The sliding behavior is advantageously supported as a result. However, it is not necessary to provide a moving or rotating roller disposed relative thereto. In particular, the guide element with this sliding surface lies on a support of the guide rail and is guided so as to slide along it when the food receptacle tray is moved. This also makes it possible that no element is provided that performs a relative movement in relation to the component on which it is disposed, as is the case with rolling. As such, sliding is performed, and not rolling.

This promotes the reduction of lateral movements, since it is not necessary to mount such a guide element in such a way that it permits relative movement, and therefore also to provide play in a certain mounting concept. Conversely, however, this is necessary in the case of rolling.

In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the guide element that has this sliding element is embodied as a ring on which the guide web protrudes radially upward. On one hand, a highly weight-saving guide element can be created by using such an embodiment. On the other hand, a stable geometry of this guide element can be achieved.

In one exemplary embodiment, a guide element is embodied as a tilt protection element. This tilt protection element allows the prevention of a downward tilting of the food receptacle tray in the state in which it is pulled out relatively far. Multiple guide elements are therefore provided that have further functions in addition to guidance.

In particular, two such separate guide elements relative thereto are provided on one side of the food receptacle tray. One of them has the tilt protection function in addition to its guidance function. The other guide element has the sliding function in addition to its guidance function. On one hand, this element is thus coupled above into the guide groove, and on the other hand it lies on the support surface below in order to slide thereon. Viewed in the depth direction, the guide element that integrally has the tilt protection element is disposed further back on the food receptacle tray than the other guide element.

In particular, this guide element that also has the tilt protection element is disposed on a rear end of a side wall of the food receptacle tray. The configuration in this regard is provided in particular in a rear corner area.

In one exemplary embodiment, when viewed in the width direction of the household refrigeration appliance, at least one guide element is disposed laterally adjacent a side wall of the food receptacle tray or extends laterally in relation to this side wall. In addition, when viewed in the height direction of the household refrigeration appliance, this guide element extends so as to overlap with the side wall of the food receptacle tray. When viewed in the height direction and in the width direction, this guide element also extends in particular below a base wall of the food receptacle tray. In particular, the guide element extends laterally directly away from the outer side of the side wall and extends downward directly away from the outer side of the base wall.

In one exemplary embodiment, the guide element is provided on one side of the food receptacle tray, and at least one further guide element of the guiding apparatus is disposed in a fixed position on an opposite side of the food receptacle tray. A further guide rail is provided on an inner side of the inner container, in particular on a second side wall opposite the first side wall on which the guide rail is disposed, and is coupled to the further guide element so that a rollerless loose bearing is formed as a result.

The stipulations “above,” “below,” “in front,” “behind,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “depth direction,” “width direction,” “height direction,” etc., indicate positions and orientations during proper use and arrangement of the appliance and with an observer positioned in front of, and looking in the direction of, the appliance.

Further features of the invention are disclosed in the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned in the description above and the following features and combinations of features in the description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone are usable not only in the respective combination given, but also in other combinations without departing from the scope of the invention. Embodiments of the invention which are not explicitly shown in the figures and described, but which arise and can be created through separate combinations of features from the embodiments described, are therefore also to be considered as included and disclosed. Embodiments and combinations of features can also be regarded as disclosed which therefore do not have all the features of an originally formulated independent claim. Furthermore, embodiments and combinations of features are to be regarded as disclosed, in particular by the embodiments disclosed above which go beyond or deviate from the combinations of features represented by the references in the claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a household refrigeration appliance with a food receptacle tray mounted with a rollerless fixed bearing, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a household refrigeration appliance;

FIG. 2 is a front-elevational view of subcomponents of the household refrigeration appliance in accordance with FIG. 1, wherein a food receptacle tray is guided by a guiding apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged representation of a subregion I in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective and partially transparent representation of the embodiment in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a food receptacle tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, in which the same or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference characters, and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a household refrigeration appliance 1. The household refrigeration appliance 1 is configured for storing and conserving food. The household refrigeration appliance 1 may be a refrigerator or a freezer or a combined refrigerator-freezer. The household refrigeration appliance 1 has a housing 2. An inner container 3 is disposed in the housing 2. The inner container 3 is preferably made of plastic. The inner container 3 delimits, with walls, a receiving space 4 for food. The receiving space 4 of the household refrigeration appliance 1 can be closed by a door 5 disposed moveably on the housing 2.

In addition, the household refrigeration appliance 1 has at least one food-receiving container or food receptacle tray 6. This tray can be pushed into and pulled out of the receiving space 4. The food receptacle tray 6 has a receiving volume 7 in which food or goods to be stored can be placed. As shown in FIG. 1, the inner container 3 has vertical side walls 8 and 9. Guiding apparatuses 10 and 11 are provided on these side walls 8 and 9 with subcomponents in each case. The food receptacle tray 6 can be moved in the depth direction (z-direction) of the household refrigeration appliance 1 by using these guiding apparatuses 10 and 11. As a result, the movement of the food receptacle tray 6 can be guided.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the food receptacle tray 6 and the guiding apparatuses 10 and 11. As can be seen, in this case the guiding apparatus 11 on the right has a guide rail 12. This guide rail 12 is disposed on the side wall 9. In one exemplary embodiment, the guide rail 12 has a base part 13. In one exemplary embodiment, an asymmetry component 14 may be provided in addition to the base part 13. The asymmetry component 14 is preferably a component that is separate from the base part 13. The asymmetry component 14 is embodied in a single piece. It is connected to the base part 13 in a fixed position. In particular, a non-destructive, detachable connection is provided in this case. As a result, it is possible to embody this asymmetry component 14 as a swappable component. This means that it can also be swapped over and installed in the left-side guiding apparatus 10. In particular, it can be connected there to an embodiment of a base part 15 that is preferably already present, and fastened in a fixed position thereto. By using this asymmetry component 14, when viewed from this direction an asymmetrical geometry can be achieved in the width direction (x-direction) of the household refrigeration appliance 1. As can be seen, the guiding apparatus 11, in particular the guide rail 12, in particular the asymmetry component 14, has an integrated guide groove 16. This guide groove 16 is open at the bottom in the height direction (y-direction) of the household refrigeration appliance 1. The guiding apparatus 11 also has in particular at least one guide element 17. The guide element 17 is disposed on the receptacle tray 6. In particular, this at least one guide element 17 is produced in a single piece with the food receptacle tray 6. In one exemplary embodiment, this guide element 17 is disposed on a side wall 18 of this food receptacle tray 6, in particular molded onto an outer side 18 a. In particular, this guide element 17 is also disposed on a base wall 19 of the food receptacle tray 6. In particular, it is molded onto an outer side 19 a of this base wall 19. In one exemplary embodiment, this guide element 17 therefore also extends in the width direction laterally adjacent the side wall 18 and further down than the base wall 19. In a front view such as the one shown in FIG. 2, this guide element 17 is therefore L-shaped.

As already shown in FIG. 2, this guide element 17 has a guide web 20 protruding upward. This guide web is embodied so as to engage into the guide groove 16 from below. As a result, an interlocking state is realized as shown in FIG. 3. An enlarged representation of the section I in FIG. 2 is shown in this regard in FIG. 3. A rollerless fixed bearing 21 is produced as a result of this interlocking of the guide web 20 with the guide groove 16. In particular, it is provided that a width b1 of the guide groove 16 is dimensioned so as to be between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm greater than a width b2 of the guide web 20. Furthermore, it can be seen that the guide element 17 has an integrated sliding element 22. This sliding element 22 has a sliding surface 23. In particular, this sliding surface 23 is a curved sliding surface. This sliding surface 23 of the guide element 17 lies on a support 24. The support 24 is a component of the guide rail 12, in particular of the base part 13. In this regard, the embodiment of the guide element 17 in a single piece with the food receptacle tray 6 also permits sliding on this support 24. The fixed position, so as to prevent movement, of the guide element 17 on the food receptacle tray 6 makes this sliding movement possible.

As has also been shown in FIG. 2, in one advantageous exemplary embodiment, at least one guide element 28 is likewise provided not only on this one side 25 of the food receptacle tray 6, but also on the opposite side 26 and on a further vertical side wall 27 located there. This guide element 28 is configured so as to correspond to the guide element 17. Since only this base part 13 of the guiding apparatus 10 is present on this left side in the exemplary embodiment, and no such asymmetry component 14, guidance of the guide element 28 is provided there only on the base part 15. A loose bearing 29 is thereby formed.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective partial representation of the food receptacle tray 6 and the guiding apparatus 11. The guide rail 12 is represented as transparent in this case so that the guide element 17 is visible. In the exemplary embodiment, in this context a further guide element 30 is molded onto the side wall 18 in a single piece. Viewed in the depth direction, this further guide element 30 is disposed further back than the guide element 17 that is spaced apart from it and offset toward the front. In particular, it is molded onto a rear corner area 31 of the food receptacle tray 6. This further guide element 30 is likewise embodied with a guide web 32 oriented upward. In the coupled state, an interlocking with the guide groove 16 is also provided in this case. Furthermore, in one advantageous exemplary embodiment, this guide element 30 is also configured with an integrated tilt protection element 33. As a result, a downward tilting of the food receptacle tray 6 when it is pulled out relatively far can be prevented.

Furthermore, as has been shown, the sliding element 23 is configured as a ring in the exemplary embodiment provided. The guide web 20 protrudes radially upward therefrom. At least one guide element 17, which is provided on one side of the food receptacle tray 6, is disposed laterally adjacent the side wall 18 when viewed in the width direction of the household refrigeration appliance 1 and in the height direction of the household refrigeration appliance, so as to overlap with the side wall 18 and is disposed to as to extend below the base wall 19 of the food receptacle tray in the height direction and in the width direction.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective representation of the food receptacle tray 6.

The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

-   1 Household refrigeration appliance -   2 Housing -   3 Inner container -   4 Receiving space -   5 Door -   6 Receptacle tray -   7 Receiving volume -   8 Side walls -   9 Side walls -   10 Guiding apparatus -   11 Guiding apparatus -   12 Guide rail -   13 Base part -   14 Asymmetry component -   15 Base part -   16 Guide groove -   17 Guide element -   18 Side wall -   18 a Outer side -   19 Base wall -   19 a Outer side -   20 Guide web -   21 Fixed bearing -   22 Sliding element -   23 Sliding surface -   24 Support -   25 Side -   26 Side -   27 Side wall -   28 Guide element -   29 Loose bearing -   30 Guide element -   31 Corner area -   32 Guide web -   33 Tilt protection element -   b1 Width -   b2 Width 

1. A household refrigeration appliance, comprising: an inner container delimiting a receiving space for receiving food, said inner container having an inner side; a food receptacle tray separate from said receiving space; a guiding apparatus for guiding movement of said food receptacle tray, said guiding apparatus having a guide rail disposed on said inner side of said inner container, and said guiding apparatus having at least one guide element disposed in a fixed position on said food receptacle tray; said guide rail configured to interlock with said at least one guide element to form a rollerless fixed bearing, for guiding said food receptacle tray without rollers by using said guiding apparatus.
 2. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one guide element is formed in a single piece with said food receptacle tray.
 3. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein: said food receptacle tray has a side wall with an outer side and a base wall with an outer side; said at least one guide element is disposed on said outer side of said side wall and on said outer side of said base wall; and said at least one guide element is disposed laterally adjacent said side wall of said food receptacle tray in a width direction of the household refrigeration appliance and overlaps said side wall of said food receptacle tray in a height direction of the household refrigeration appliance and extends below said base wall in the height direction and in the width direction.
 4. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein: said food receptacle tray has a first side wall and a second side wall disposed opposite one another in a width direction of the household refrigeration appliance; and said at least one guide element is disposed on said first side wall of said food receptacle tray and at least one further guide element is disposed on said second side wall of said food receptacle tray.
 5. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said guide rail has an asymmetry component providing an asymmetrical geometry, viewed in a width direction of said food receptacle tray, for mounting said food receptacle tray.
 6. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one guide element has a guide web protruding upward and engaging into an open bottom of a guide groove in said guide rail.
 7. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein said guide web has a width measured in a width direction of the household refrigeration appliance, and said guide groove has a width measured in the width direction of the household refrigeration appliance being between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm greater than the width of said guide web.
 8. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, wherein: said food receptacle tray has a side wall; and said guide web and said guide groove are at least one of: disposed laterally adjacent said side wall of said food receptacle tray, as viewed in a width direction of the household refrigeration appliance, or overlapping with said side wall of said food receptacle tray in a height direction of the household refrigeration appliance.
 9. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, which further comprises another guide rail, said at least one guide element including two separate guide elements each having a respective guide web engaging into said guide groove.
 10. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 9, wherein said guide webs are disposed in a rear half of a length of said food receptacle tray.
 11. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said guide rail has a support, and said at least one guide element has a sliding element with a curved sliding surface lying on said support of said guide rail and sliding when said food receptacle tray is moved.
 12. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 11, wherein said at least one guide element is configured as a ring on which said guide web protrudes radially upward.
 13. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, which further comprises a guide element configured as a tilt protection element for preventing a downward tilting of said food receptacle tray in a pulled-out state.
 14. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 13, wherein said food receptacle tray has a side wall with a rear end, and said at least one guide element is disposed on said rear end.
 15. The household refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein: said inner container has an inner side; said food receptacle tray has opposite sides; said at least one guide element is disposed on one of said opposite sides of said food receptacle tray; said guiding apparatus has at least one further guide element disposed in a fixed position on another of said opposite sides of said food receptacle tray; and a further guide rail is disposed on said inner side of said inner container and coupled to said at least one further guide element to form a rollerless loose bearing. 